Kalitta sets sights on successful 2007 NHRA season

Pomona, Calif. - Scott Kalitta, driver of the 7,000-horsepower, nitro-fueled Kalitta Air Toyota Solara Funny Car, hopes to maintain the momentum he and his team began building at the end of last year this weekend at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series 2007 season-opener, the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals, at record-setting Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Pomona, Calif.

Kalitta and his team struggled throughout the 2006 NHRA season including six failures to qualify, one of which came at the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals a year ago. Kalitta, who has 18 career NHRA national event wins, is doggedly determined to avenge his team’s failures from last season with better performances in 2007.

“We really started getting a handle on our Toyota at the end of last year,” Kalitta said. “We added Glenn Mikres (co-crew chief) to our team over the winter, and I think he and my dad (crew chief and car owner Connie Kalitta) will work great together to get everything where we need it to be to be competitive and to win some races.

“I hate losing and I know our (crew) guys do to, so we’re going to do what we have to do to get our car to win a lot more rounds this year.”